Textile strap construction



Feb. 23, 1937. J. A. BUCHANAN TEXTILE STRAP CONSTRUCTION Filed April 18, 1935 INVENTOR fills A'fToR Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TEXTILE STRAP CONSTRUCTION Application April 18, 1935, Serial No. 17,011

4 Claims.

My present invention relates to the alrt of weaving and more particularly to the production of articles built up from textile fabrics, and it has for its object to produce in an economical manner a composite strap-like construction faced with a finishing or ornamented fabric to give a pleasing appearance but so contrived that it may be more easily fastened to a body or stifiening element and in a better way with respect to considerations both of quantity production and resistance to wear. A further object of the invention is to produce a strap of this nature that will lend itself particularly to the hanger loops or assist grips used in automobiles.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an assist grip for automobiles made in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary face view of the ornamental fabric covering of the strap, detached and spread, and

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged transverse section through one ply of the strap taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

An assist grip of the nature I have referred to and illustrated may consist, referring more particularly to the drawing, of a fixture or bracket I through the eye 2 of which is looped a strap, indicated generally at 3, of preferably ornamental design provided with a real or simulated keeper band t of the same material. The fixture is secured and the looped strap hangs on the inside and is part of the interior decoration of an automobile body to be grasped by the occupants in moving about. It is subjected to considerable wear, particularly along the edges of the strap, where it is compressed and friction occurs. The strap must have considerable body and weight as straps go, as, for instance, and as appears in Fig. 4, I build up a laminated structure consisting of an outer strip of woven belting or canvas 5, a central strip 6 of sponge rubber and a soft inside lining l agreeable to the touch, such as felt, all cemented together in a homogeneous mass. On the front or outer side is also preferably cemented to the canvas 5a finishing facing fabric embodying a central ornamental portion, indicated generally at 8.

It has heretofore been my practice to apply a separate binding strip on each edge of the body or core thus described and its facing to take the 5 wear above mentioned and consisting of a ribbon or tape that must be separately run through the assembling or fabricating machine and sewed in place, making two additional parts. These are apt to rip loose, fray or become distorted in 10 use, as Well as in the process of their application. In the practice of my present invention, I form what serve as bindings of the same but of neater appearance in the way of selvages, indicated best at 9 in Figs. 2 and 3, continuous with 15 the central raised facing 8. The such raised facing is customarily built up with extra warp threads or filler strands to give a pleasing effect, as with mixed alterations of rayon and cotton, for bulk cheapness and pattern effect resulting 20 in a line of demarcation If! between the selvages and the center. The selvages are formed as usual in making selvages with the straight warp and Woof weave, the woof threads well consisting of the rayon to give a richer finish. 25

When these selvages are folded over, in the manner shown in Fig. 4, and secured at the rear to the felt lining l, as by stitching ll, running along the line of demarcation ill, the binding effect is produced without any exposed or raw edges 30 on the face of the strap, the stitching has a less pronounced appearance and what results as a binding is applied with the one operation of applying the ornamental facing. The selvages can be made very tough to resist wear and with most 35 any desired variation: in the formation of a central body.

In all aspects of my invention, I do not limit it to its embodiment in assist grips, such as specifically shown, nor to the size or nature of 40 the frontal design but, as above explained, it is of special importance in such an application.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, a strap-like article consisting of a stiffening body, and a sur- 45 facing web of fabric spanning the front and outer side of the stiffening body, said web embodying integral selvage margins turned over the edges of the stiffening body for a short distance and secured thereto, respectively, on the reverse side by individual lines of stitching running through the strap.

2. As an article of manufacture, a strap-like article consisting of a stiffening body, and a surfacing web of fabric spanning the front and out- 55 10 article consisting of a stifiening body having a soft outer covering at the rear, and a surfacing web of fabric spanning the front and outer side of the stiffening body, said web embodying a relatively thick ornamented central portion and rel- 15 atively thin integral selvage margins turned over the edges of the stiifening body and secured thereto, respectively, on the reverse side by indi vidual lines of stitching running through the strap so that an expanse of the said soft covering is exposed therebetween.

4. As an article of manufacture, an assist grip comprising a looped, strap-like structure having means for attachment to a support, said structure consisting of a stifiening body and a surface Web of fabric spanning the front and outer side of the stiffening body, said web embodying a relatively thick ornamented central portion removed from the edges of the strap as a whole and relatively thin integral selvage margins proceeding therefrom on the front, turned over the edges of the stiffening body and secured thereto, respectively, on the reverse side by individual lines of stitching running through the strap, the lines of stitching and the two selvage edges being widely separated across the rear of the strap.

JAMES A. BUCHANAN. 

